New year, new start!

Happy New Year!  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, if you celebrate it.

Again I find myself in the the position of having to say sorry for being away for so long.

I'm delighted to see the number of people who have been visiting and reading my rambling. I WILL make a massive effort to keep this blog up to date as a way of saying thank you.  In fact I will make  new year's resolution to write this blog at least once a month. How does that sound?

As it turns out, I have a lot to tell you.  So much, it's difficult to know where to start.

I have two really exciting things to tell you.

The first, if you didn't already know, is the new covers that I've had drawn for all the books so far.

All In a Day's Work - New cover by Chris Askham.

This is the new cover drawn by Chris Askham. As you can easily see, Chris has put a lot of work into it and the pair of us put a lot of thought into it too. 

It all started back in  November when I went to a book fair to sell paperback versions of my books. The customers always went for the cover of the third book (see below).  I think there were two main reasons for this. The first was that it had Isomee on the cover.  The second was that it had more colour than the other two.

Original book 3 cover

Armed with this information, Chris and I came up with a composition that would use and improve on these two aspects.  As you can see we put Isomee right at the front and kept many of the original artist's elements. Brackenbelly is stood behind her in a protective pose with his sword out ready for action. This was important too because I wanted people to know that there would be swords and action in it as well as a sweet looking eleven year old girl.   The main addition has been uncle Hogg-Bottom. Chris has captured him brilliantly.  He has just the right amount of menace.  I love the way he's looming over everything.

Two's Company artwork by Chris Askham

For the second book, Two's Company, both Chris and I wanted something more dynamic and eye-catching.   As the book is packed full of action, this was easy.  I'm sure you'll agree that this cover is awesome!

Chris is currently working on the third cover.  This one will have Wilbakar on.  It'll  be the first time we've seen him and I'm very excited.

After that, he'll do a new cover for book 4 and then we'll be moving on to a whole new chronicle.  There's also the possibility of a collected edition of the first four stories available in paperback only.

At the moment All in a Day's Work and Two's Company are only available with the new covers on Kindle. Paperbacks will follow very shortly.

I think that's enough for now.  I'll save the other news for future blogs.

Please visit the Kinmaran Chronicles website for more pictures.  Look in the Uma Archives. You'll need to sign up for access.  Don't worry it's quick and easy.

See you on Kinmara soon!

Kinmaran Chronicles: No Good Deed OUT NOW!

It's been a long wait, but, at last Brackenbelly 4 is OUT.

It's taken so long because I've worked really hard on this story, and Ween's Night (even though I wrote it in 3 days!) and I hope that you find it the best in the series so far.

I'm finding that I'm spending more and more time doing things like this video to promote Brackenbelly.  What I really need is your help.  If you enjoy reading Brackenbelly, please tell your friends, write a review.

Next year Brackenbelly is getting a face lift (see the end of the video).

I would like to do another interview.  If you have a question you would like to ask me, please write one in the comments below.

Now, sit back, relax and watch the video.



Visit the Brackenbelly website 
http://garethhlbaker.wix.com/brackenbelly


Live in the UK?  Find all of Brackenbelly's adventures here
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gareth-Baker/e/B00CJH8BOO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

or here if you live in the US

http://www.amazon.com/Gareth-Baker/e/B00CJH8BOO/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3?qid=1385199683&sr=8-3

Halloween Present

Coming soon to a Kindle near you!

Warwick Castle

It's near the end of the summer holiday, but that's not why I'm roaring in the photograph.

Yesterday I went to Warwick castle to celebrate someone's birthday.  That's not why I'm screaming either.  I quite like them really.

If you look  carefully you'll see a man in a red tunic and green trousers.  Do you know who/what he is?  The shield I'm holding might give you a clue too.  Leave a comment if you think you know the answer.

As well as giving a warrior roar, I, and two other "volunteers", had to create a "shield wall" to prove that we could stop three other men from pushing us backwards.

By overlapping the three shields, and using our arms and shoulders, we could hold them back.  Could we do the same with a hoard of children?  It wasn't easy, but we just about managed it.

Anyway, I hope that you've enjoyed your holiday.  I have.  I've seen some amazing things and, most of all, had a good rest.

Over the summer I've had lots of ideas bubbling away in my head and hopefully you should have them in your hands by Christmas.

Be safe, but have adventures.

Gareth

BTW the roaring was a competition and I won!!!